Towel cabinet



May 9, 1933.

F. G. -sTr-:INER

TOWEL CABINET Filed June 17, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheel'I l Z 9 l 4 w /w /41 w Abw 3 l 7 @@35 Zz 3 HG. Z

F. G. STEINER TowL CABINET May 9, 1933.

Filed June 17. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet I2v T n mmf Z/m F. G. STEINER May 9, 1933.

TOWEL CABINET Filed June 17. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ffwerzzfor FEA/VK G. 57E/NER 0%4/ @wz MM Patented May 9, i933 FRANK G. STEINER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 STEINER A CORFORTIGN F UTAH SALT LAKE CITY, UTAX,

SALES COMPANY, F

TOWEL CABINET Application filed June l?,

My invention relates to the type ot cabinet that is adapted to deliver a predetermined length of clean towel to the user and wind up a corresponding length of soiled towel within the cabinet, the capacity of the cabinet or the number of suitable wiping lengths delivered depending of course upon the number or" yards of towel in the roll or supply that is placed in the cabinet. The general idea of a cabinet et this style is disclosed in my pending application tor Letters Patent ot the United States #94,807, filed March l5, 1926, and this present application relates particularly to improvements in the details ot construction whereby the loading and subsequent use or' the cabinet may he considerably facilitated.

An object or the invention is to provide improved means for holding the movable section oit the cabinet in its forward position, thereby aiding the attendant'in the operation' of lling the cabinet.

A further object is to provide improved means to prevent the take up roll of the soiled towel trom acquiring suicient momentum when the clean web is pulled by the user to wind up on the take up roll a greater length et' soiled towel than the wiping length of clean towel pulled out ot the cabinet and further to prevent the looping' or falling forward of a sufficient length or" soiled towel from the tal-:e up roll to contact with and contaminate the delivery roll or the web ot clean towel.

A further object of the invention is to improve the guides tor the pinch roll, allowing sutlicient upward movement of this roll to permit a hem et the towel to pass between it and tue delivery roll, but limiting such upward movement to such an extent that the vpinch roll cannot become ammed in its guides and be unable to properly perform its function.

A Jfurther object is to provide an improved stop device on the exterior of the cabinet but connected with the inner section and movable therewith.

A further object is to provide an inclined guide for the soiled towel take up roll which will allow the roll to move forward as it 1929. Serial No. 371,337.

increases in diameter and economize in the space normally required for the soiled towel roll, making it possible to provide a cabinet of minimum depth.

A further object is to provide improved means tor mounting a mirror in the door of the cabinet to the end that the cabinets and mirrors can be shipped separately, thereby economizing in freight rates, the mirror being capable of convenient installation by the purchaser ot the cabinet.

A further object is to provide guides at the bottoni and rear of the cabinet for the web of soiled towel to insure even winding on the take up roll and prevent changes in the length ot the towel loop resulting from side to side travel of the web and increased friction.

Other objects ot the invention will appear from the following detailed description.. Y

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciication,

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a towel cabinet embodying my invention;

F ligure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a bottom or lower end view ot the cabinet;

Figure l is a side elevation ot the cabinet with a portion of a wall broken away showing the inner section moved outwardly to its loading position;

Figure 5 Iis a detail view showing the preferred means limiting the outward movement of the inner Section5 Figure 6 is a detail view showing the locking bar during a portion of its stroke;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 7*? of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a iront view of the cabinet with the door open, showing the manner ot mounting the mirror to form a panel in the door; 1

Figure 9 is a detail view showing the means for fasteningV the mirror in the door panel; Y l

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view on the line 10-10 of Figure 9; and

Figure ll is a perspective view ot the spring bar by means of which the mirror is conveniently held in place in the door.

In the drawings, 2 represents the side walls of the outer section, 3 the top, 4 a cross plate at the bottom, and 5 the rear wall. This outer section may be made of any suitable size and preferably is of metal, though I do not conline myself to any particular material. The inner section of the cabinet comprises slide plates 6 having a curved, rear and bottom plate uniting the side walls of the inner section. Both of the sections are preferably open at the front for convenience of access. The side plates or walls of the inner section are pivotally supported to the corresponding walls of the outer section as indicated at 8 and for convenience I prefer to provide bolts 9 having their heads on the outside of the outer section and passing through the walls of the sections and provided with clamping nuts 10 by means of which the bolts may be tightened to hold the sections rmly in their relative position, but allowing the Ainner section to have a limited swinging movement, the plates of the inner section being spaced from the corresponding plates of the outer section, as shown plainly in Figure 8. l/Vhen these bolts 9 are removed the inner section can be detached from the outer one with the operating mechanism and if the outer sect-ion is secured to a wall or other support, it will not be necessary to disturb it, the inner section may be removed and taken to the workshop or factory, Iin case repairs or renewals are necessary. The plate 4 of the outer section has a spring member 11 provided with a stud 12 which projects through the plate 4 in position to contact with the forward edge of the wall 7 and normally hold the inner section in its retracted position within the cabinet. 'Vhenever desired, this stud may be pressed downwardly to release the inner section and allow it to be swung forwardly to the loading position.

The wall 7 forms a suitable support for a supply of clean towel 13 and above this supply I provide a. delivery feed roll 14 and a corresponding take up feed roll 15 having a suitable driving connection 16 between them, whereby the rolls will be revolved simultaneously and each roll preferably has a roughened or sanded peripheral surface adapted for contact with the towel web?. These rolls may be on substantially the same level to economi/ze space vertically, or one roll may be slightly above the level of the other as indicated in Figure 1 to allow the mounting of the rolls in a comparatively shallow cabinet as obviously if these rolls are arranged on the same level more room hori- Zontally will be necessary for them. However, this arrangement of the rolls is a matter that may be varied according to different conditions and the space provided for them.

Their operation will be substantially the same whether on the same level or upon slightly diflerent levels.

The roll 14 is near the front of the cabinet, and both rolls are journaled in the walls of the inner section and provided with suitable spindles 17 and 18. The side walls of the inner section are also provided with guide slots 19 for a pinch roll 20, the upper ends of these slots having olf-sets 2l and seats 22 to receive the ends of the pinch roll spindle and support it when the cabinet is being filled and the lower ends of the slots have off-sets 23 in which the pinch roll spindle normally rests when the cabinet is in use. A web of clean towel may be stretched from the supply beneath up to the feed roll 14 and vfrom thence over the pinch roll to depend within the cabinet near the front thereof and through an opening 24 provided in the bottom of the outer section. A loop of this towel is formed below the cabinet and when the user grasps and pulls it to obtain a supply for wiping purposes, the pinch roll is drawn downwardly against the roll 14, causing suiiicient friction between the towel web and the roll 14 to revolve the roll 14 in a counter clock-wise direction and also revolve the roll 15. The pinch roll is free to rise and fall in the off-sets provided in the guides, but the walls of the olf-sets engaging the spindle of the pinch roll prevent it from jumping up to a point within the guides where it might become jammed or twisted in such a way as to prevent or interfere with the proper functions of the cabinet. Then the supply of towel has been eX- hausted, the attendant preparatory to loading the cabinet will raise the pinch roll to the upper ends of the slots where it will rest in the seats 22 until the cabinet is filled and is ready again for use.

I prefer to provide a wall 25 extending between the rolls 14 and 15 eifectually separating them and preventing under normal conditions of operation any possibility of contamination from the take-up roll or the soiled towel to the delivery roll, and clean web and the rear portion of the wall 25 coopera-tes with the wall 7 to form a flanged edge 26 which serves as a guide for the soiled towel which may be stretched upwardly within the gap 27 provided between the wall 7 and the rear wall of the outerl section. The inner section is provided with inclined guide slots 28 adapted to receive a take-up roll 29 whereon the web or soiled towel is wound, the convolutions of this web contacting with the roll 15 so that when this roll is revolved, a corresponding movement will be imparted to the take up roll to wind the soiled towel thereon. This soiled towel roll of course increases in diameter as the cabinet is used and the incline of the slots provide sufficient space in front of the take up roll to accommodate its increasing diameter without requiring a greater depth of cabinet for this purpose. The guide slots open toward the front of the cabinet and allow the convenient insertion or removal of the take up roll. The back of the cabinet preferably has a guide provided with a rounded surface 31 on which the web of soiled towel may slide as it is drawn up to the take-up roll. This surface preferably is in advance of the iianged edge 26 so that the two cooperate to smooth and straighten out the wrinkles that may have been formed in the towel web. Above the smoothing device 30 I prefer to provide a tension bar 32 that is preferably in the rear of the curved surface 31 so that when the towel web is stretched to the take up roll and passed in the rear of the tension bar the direction of travel of the web will be changed and its momentum checked or retarded when the take up roll is suddenly stopped. I have found in the operation of this type of cabinet that unless some means is provided to check the momentum of the web passing up the back of the cabinet, that when the roll stops quickly a loop of the soiled towel will be formed over and beyond the soiled towel roll and then it works or rolls in under the soiled roll and prevents the web from being drawn backwardly and shortens the loop below the cabinet with each operation, and after a certain number of operations the loop will be shortened to such an extent that the successful use of the cabinet will be prevented. I have also found that this loop of soiled towel formed in advance of the take up roll may be thrown forward a sutlicient distance to contact with the clean towel roll or the clean web itself, and thereby cause contamination and the rejection of the cabinet for sanitary reasons.

I have discovered that by arranging this tension bar in the rear of and out of line with the smoothing surface so that the towel web has to follow a tortuous path, I am able to check its momentum when the movement of the take up roll is suddenly stopped and thereby prevent the formation of the loop above the take up roll and its interference with the successful use of the cabinet. I have found that this bar arranged in the position as substantially shown in the drawings, absolutely corrects the difficulty above explained and enables me to build a towel cabinet with provision for any desired number of wiping lengths of clean towel without any danger of the loop below the cabinet becoming shortened, or the clean web becoming contaminated through contact with the soiled portion. This tension bar makes it possible for me to maintain an exposed towel loop of constant length throughout the use of the cabinet.

I prefer also to provide guides 33 at the bottom of they outer section on each side forming a space 34 between them in which the web of soiled towel may travel, this space being only slightly wider than the towel web so that the edge of the web may contact with the guides and be prevented from working from side to side and becoming twisted or misplaced and unevenly wound on the take up roll. Evidently any construction of cabinet that would allow the soiled towel to work toward one end of the take up roll would change the length of the loop and interfere with the successful use of the cabinet, if it did not entirely prevent the operation of the take up roll. These guides are preferably at the lower end of the outer section as indicated in Figure 1 and may be only of sufficient height to guide and hold the web in the middle of the passacre.

tIlle spindle of the roll 14 has an extension 35 thereon which projects through a slot 36 in the side wall of the outer section and is normally free to move therein, sliding back and forth as the inner section is swung in and out on its pivots. A hub 37 is secured to the outer end of the extension 35 and provided with a guide 38 wherein a locking bar 39 is free to slide. This bar has an enlarged finger grip 40 at one end adapted to be grasped by the user of the cabinet and a lug 41 formed on its opposite end. he bar revolves with the roll shaft and swings back and forth with the extension 35 throughout its movement inthe slot 36.

A block 42 that is preferably substantially crescent shaped, is secured to the outer section of the cabinet and has a centrally arranged recess 43 that is positioned opposite and near the inner end of the slot 36. A stop 44 is provided on this block and a cam 45 is also formed thereon and provided with an inner curved face 46 and is separated from the stop 44 by a gap 47. The lug 41 normally engages the stop 44 and locks the feed roll against revolution. The user of the cabinet, to release the delivery roll, pushes the bar 39 inwardly to the position shown in Figure 2 and thereupon the bar will .become disengaged from the stop 44 and pull upon the clean towel web will revolve the feed roll counter clockwise and turn the spindle extension and the bar 39 as indicated in Figure 6. When the bar has reached a position where the lug 41 will be on the upper side yof the spindle, the force of gravity will cause the bar to slide downward and as the spindle turns the lug 41 will engage the stop 44 and positively check revolution of the feed roll. If the roll is moved rapidly, there might be a tendency to throw the bar outward by centrifugal force, or the user might grasp the bar and 'attempt to prevent the lug 41 from contacting with the stop 44 and in that case the lug will contact with the inner curved face 46 of the cam 45 and be forced positively to aposition where it must contact with the stop 44 and be arrested thereby.

This lock device embodies the principle of the lock shown in the G. A. Steiner Patent #1,564,292, December 8, 1925 and is designed as an improvement over the locking means shown and described in that patent.

A latch 48 is pivoted to the outer section at 49 and adapted to swing down across the slot 36, its outward movement being limited by the engagement of the end 50 of the latch with the adjacent edge of the block 42. A shoulder 51 is formed on the latch in position to engage the hub 37 secured to the extension 85 of the spindle when the inner section is swung outwardly and hold the section in its outer or loading position. The latch is preferably provided with a flange 51 which projects inwardly in position to close the outer end of the slot 36 when the latch is in its normal position and the cabinet ready for use.

A door 52 is provided forl the front of the cabinet and when it is closed the flange 51 will be concealed and the latch be held in its normal position across the slot 36.

This swinging latch has several functions. It covers the opening in the side wall of the cabinet when closed. f It automatically catches the roll spindle when the inner section is swung outwardly, to hold this section in position during the loading operation. It is limited in its outward swinging movement and prevents the inner section from being moved out further than is necessary for the successful filling of the cabinet. The flange on the latch being` under the door when closed, is concealed and prevents the movement of the latch until the door is opened.

The door of the cabinet designated by numeral 52 is preferably provided with a central panel opening 53. This panel is preferably rectangular in form and has a seat 54 formed in the rails or side walls thereof and a plate-glass mirror 55 is adapted to lit within the panel against said seats. A plate 56 of suitable material is iitted within the panel in the rea-r of the mirror, a flange 57 being provided on the door at the lower edge of the panel to project upwardly into the opening of the panel and form a gap between it and a flange 58 on the opposite side of the panel opening. In mounting the mirror in the door, the lower edge is inserted between the flanges 57 and 58 and the upper edge inserted into the opening to rest against the seat 54 and the upper corresponding iiange 58 and to hold the mirror in place7 ,l prefer to provide a flexible band 59'of spring material made slightly bowed and having` end tongues 60 adapted to lit into sockets 61 in the'side walls of the panel opening. To secure the mirror, one end of the rband is inserted into the socket in the panel and the band flexed or bent sutliciently to allow the other end to enter the opposite socket and when this has been done the tension of the band and its pressure on the inner face of the plate 56 will hold the mirror iirmly in position in the door. A mirror securing means of this kind allows the purchaser of a cabinet to easily and conveniently install the mirror in the door and also permits the manufacturer to ship the mirror and cabinet separately and thereby eect a considerable saving in freight rates. I prefer to provide a washer 62 on the extension 35 of the roll spindle as shown in Figure 7 interposed between the slot 36 and the hub 63 in the wall of the inner section that forms a bearing for one end of the roll spindle. y

The cabinet having been set up in the desired position, the door is opened and a supply of clean towel placed in the inner section. A web of the towel is stretched upwardly to contact with the delivery roll 14 and pass over the pinch roll and from thence depend through the bottom of the cabinet to form a loop of suitable length. lThe end of the towel is carried upwardly in the rear of the clean supply to the take up roll. The user standing in front of the cabinet will manipulate the locking bar, moving it to its release position and upon pulling downwardly on the clean web, a length of towel suitable for wiping purposes, will be delivered and a corresponding length of the soiled towel wound up simultaneously on the take up roll, rThe tension device heretofore described will prevent rapi-l operation of the delivery roll from causing suilicient momentum to the towel web to form a loop of towel over and in front of the take up roll as heretofore explained and hence the length of the loop depending below the cabinet will remain substantially constant throughout the use of the cabinet and there will be no danger of the soiled web being thrown forwardly over the take up roll to a position where it might contact with and contaminate the clean towel web. In the revolution of the feed roll 14 the locking bar initially released by the towel user, will turn to a point where the force of gravity will cause it to slide in its guide and bring the lug thereon in contact with the fixed stop on the outer section and thereupon the towel feeding mechanism will be brought to an instant stop with each revolution of the feed roll. Upon opening the door of the cabinet the whole interior is exposed and the inner section may be swung outwardly to a point where it may be conveniently loaded with the clean towel and the web stretched downwardly and upwardly to the take-up roll, Thus the removal of the soiled towel and the loading of the cabinet with a clean supply is greatly facilitated.

In various ways the details of construction herein shown may be modified and still be within the scope of my invention.

Izclaim as my invention:

l. A towel cabinet comprising an outer section and inner section pivoted to the outer section at their upper portions and movable in and out of the outer section, a guiding and smoothing member projecting inwardly from the back of the outer section, the back of the inner section overlapping said pro- 1 jection, a laten in the bottom of tne` cabinet which when unlatched permits the inner section to be drawn forward and a towel threaded between the back of the inner section and said projection, feed and take up rolls in the inner section and a tension device in the inner section above said projection, the construction being such that the inner section may be withdrawn from the outer section and a. towel supply deposited in the lower part of the inner section then threaded over the feed roll and back of the inner section in front of said projection and back of said tension roll to the take up roll and the inner section may be pushed back to tension the towel as it passes over the projection and tension roll and said inner section held in place by said latch.

2. A towel cabinet comprising relatively movable outer and inner sections, a delivery feed roll carried by the inner section and projecting through the cuter section, a locking bar movable with the inner section and a stop having a cam thereon and located on the outer section in position to engage said bar and by means of the' cam force the bar into position to be stopped by said stop.

3. A towel cabinet comprising relatively movable outer and inner sections, the inner section being adapted to receive a supply of clean towel, a delivery feed roll mounted in said inner section and whereto the web of clean towel may be stretched, the outer section of said cabinet having a slot therein in its side wall extending inwardly and downwardly from its forward edge and the spindle of said feed roll having an extension adapted to project through said -slot to -a point beyond the outer wall of said outer section and move in said slot to allow adjustment of said inner section to its loading position, a locking bar carried by said extension and having a longitudinal movement thereon, said bar revolving with said spindle when said feed roll is in its normal working position, and a stop mounted on said outer section and adapted to engage said bar and check the movement of said feed roll at the completion of its stroke. j

4. A towel cabinet comprising relatively movable inner and outer sections, the inner section being adapted to receive a supply of clean towel, a feed roll mounted in said inner'section whereto the web of clean towel may be stretched, the spindle of said feed' roll having an extension thereon and the wall of said outer section having arslot eX- tending the full thickness of said wall to receive said extension and permit it to extend beyond the wall of said cabinet, a hub secured on said extension and provided with a guide, a bar slidable in said uide and having a lug thereon, and a bloc secured to said outer section and having a stop that is normally in the path of said lug to automatically check revolution of said feed roll upon the completion of its stroke.

5. A towel cabinet comprising outer and inner relatively movable sections, the inner section being adapted to receive a supply of clean towel, a feed roll mounted in said inner section and whereto the clean towel web vmay be stretched, the spindle of said feed roll having an extension thereon and the wall of said outer section having a slot wherein said extension is slidable, a hub mounted on said extension and having a guide, a bar slidable in said guide and having a lug thereon, a block secured to said outer section and having a stop thereon adjacent the inner end of said slot, said block also having a cam formed thereon, said lug normally engaging said stop to arrest movement of said feed roll, longitudinal movement of said bar disengaging said lug from said stop and allowing revolution of said feed, roll, said cam being adapted to engage said lug and prevent movement of said bar through centrifugal action and also adapted to force said bar to a position where said lug must contact with said stop.

6. A towel cabinet comprising an outer section and an inner swinging section, a feed roll mounted in said inner section, the outer section having a slot to receive an extension of said feed roll, a pivoted latch carried by said outer section adapted to normally depend across said slot and having means to engage the extension of said spindle and hold said inner section in its outer or loading position.

7. A towel cabinet comprising an outer section and an inner pivoted section, a feed roll mounted in said inner section, said outer section having a slot in its wall and said feed roll spindle having an extension to slide in said slot, a latch mounted on said outer section and normally eX- tending across said slot and partially concealing the same and having means to engage said extension and hold said pivoted section in its outer or loading position, and means for limiting the outward movement of said latch, whereby the outward movement of said pivoted section is checked at a predetermined point. i

8. A towel cabinet comprising an outer llO - section having a slot to receive said extension, a latch mounted on said outer section and adapted to automatically engage said extension and hold said pivoted section in its outer loading position, said latch having a flange for normally closing the open outer end of said slot, and a door for said outer section normally concealing said flange and holding said lat-cli in its closed position.

9. A towel cabinet comprising relatively movable inner and outer sections, the inner section being adapted to receive a supply of clean towel, a feeding instrumentality mounted in said inner section whereto the web of clean towel may be stretched, said feeding instrumentality having an extension thereon and the wall of said outer section having a slot to receive said extension which projects through said slot beyond the wall of said outer section, an element carried by said extension on the outer side of said outer section and movable with said extension forward and backward with said inner section and means on said outer section adjacent said slot adapted to cooperate with said element to automatically check the movement of said feeding instrumentality upon the completion of its stroke.

10. A towel cabinet comprising relatively movable inner and outei sections, the inner section being adapted to receive a supply of clean towel, a feeding instrumentality mounted in said inner section whereto the web of clean towel may be stretched, said instrumentality having an extension thereon and the wall of said outer section having a slot open to the outer side of the cabinet to receive said extension, a locking bar carried by said extension and slidable thereon, and means mounted on said outer section adjacent the inner end of said slot and extending diametrically thereof and cooperating with said bar to automatically check movement of said feeding instrumentality at a predetermined point.

11. A towel cabinet comprising an outer section having an open front and an inner section having a movement outwardly through said open front, a feeding instrumentality mounted in said inner section and having an extension, the outer section having a slot therein to receive said extension and means mounted on the cabinet adapted to normally extend across and close said slot and engage said extension to hold said inner section in its outer or loading position.

l2. A towel cabinet comprising an outer section having an open front and a door therefor, and provided in its side wall with a slot extending rearwardly from the front edge thereof, an inner section having a. forward and backward movement through the open front of said outer section, a clean towel feed roll mounted in said inner section and having an extension adapted to move back and forth in said slot, and a latch having means for closing the open forward end of said slot and held in its slot covering position by said door when it is closed.

13. A towel cabinet comprising an outer section having an open front and a door therefor, and a rearwardly extending slot in its side wall, an inner section movable outwardly through said open front, a towel feed roll mounted in said inner section and having an extension projecting through said slot and movable therein, and a latch pivoted on said outer section normally closing said slot and having means for automatically engaging and holding said inner section in its outer loading position.

14. A towel cabinet comprising an outer section having an open front and a door therefor, and a rearwardly extending slot in its side wall, an inner section movable outwardly through said open front, a towel feed roll mounted in said inner section and having an extension projecting through said slot and movable therein, a latch pivoted on said outer section and having means for automatically engaging and holding said inner section in its outer position, and means associated with said latch whereby the outward movement of said inner section is limited.

15. A towel cabinet comprising an outer section having an open front and a door therefor, and provided with a rearwardly extending slot in its side wall, of an inner section movable outwardly through said open front, a feed roll mounted in said inner section and having an extension movable in said slot, a latch pivoted on said outer section to normally extend across said slot and having a flange to extend across the open end of said slot, whereby when said door is closed outward movement of said latch and said inner section is prevented, and the outer portion of said slot will be concealed.

16. A towel cabinet having side walls and delivery and take-up rolls mounted therein with a driving connection between them for simultaneous movement, said delivery roll being near the front of said cabinet, said side walls above and near the ends of said delivery roll being provided with oppositely arranged slots extending vertically therein, the lower ends of said slots having forward and downward extensions terminating near said feed roll, a pinch roll having a spindle adapted to slide in said slots and between which spindle and said feed roll a web of clean towel may be stretched to depend below said feed roll, the lower ends of said slots being in the rear of the forward portion of said feed roll whereby downward movement of said spindle in said slots may press the web of towel toward said feed roll and the spindle of said pinch roll will contact with the rear edges of the downward eXtensions of said slot, when a downward pull is applied to the towel web whereby a jumping backward movement of said pinch roll is prevented.

17. A towel cabinet comprising an outer section having an open front, an inner section movable through said open front, a wall forming the bottom of said inner section and extending upwardly therefrom and spaced from the rear wall of said outer section and adapted to support a supply of clean towel, a delivery feed roll mounted in said inner section above said wall and to which a web of clean towel from the towel supply may be stretched to depend through the bottom of said outer section below the cabinet, a takeup feed roll having a driving connection with said first named roll also mounted in said inner section, the bottom of said outer section having an opening through which the web of soiled towel may be stretched upwardly through said gap, a guard plate eX- tending between said feed rolls and having a part on which the web of soiled towel may slide, a smoothing member mounted in the rear of said take-up feed roll and having a rounded surface in front of the rear portion of said guard plate for contact with the towel web, a tension bar above said smoothing member and in the rear of the smoothing surface thereof, a soiled towel roll supported above said tension bar and whereon the soiled towel may be wound for contact with the surface of said take-up feed roll, whereby the tension on the towel web and its tortuous passage from said guard plate to said tension bar will hold taut the convolutions of the towel web on said soiled towel roll and prevent forward looping of the web thereon. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 45 my hand this 10th day of June 1929.

FRANK G. STEINER. 

